Kate Horsburgh

Future Trainee Solicitor at Gateley Legal and law conversion course student. The GFL programme was the College's law conversion course that ran from 2022-2023 (now replaced by the GDL).

Hi, I’m Kate. I’m currently studying the Graduate Foundation in Law with the College of Legal Practice. While I always had an interest in law during my school years, when it came to applying to university I struggled to decide whether to go down the law or non-law route. I chose International Management and Spanish at the University of Bath, and took several law-focused modules throughout. This was enough to convince me that law was in my future, so on graduation, I decided to take on the GFL to make sure of it. I chose the GFL straight from my undergraduate degree as I was still in the study mindset, and felt I needed that to bolster my knowledge of law before going straight to SQE1 and SQE2. I've now completed the GFL and I plan to complete SQE1 and SQE2. I've recently secured a training contract at Gateley Legal which I'm excited to start next year! 

Why did you choose to study with The College of Legal Practice?

For me, flexibility alongside reliable and reputable tutors was really important. I’m self-funded, and I’m working part-time alongside my course, so being able to work online with mostly self-directed study has made this process much more manageable than a traditional in-person course. When I was searching for providers for a GFL, three things really stood out to me about the College of Legal Practice. Firstly, I was really impressed by the backgrounds of the tutors. Their expertise was really impressive, which was brilliant as it was important to me that the tutors knew their stuff. I also very much value the flexibility element of the college. Everything is online, so I’m able to fit my studies around my other commitments, and it works really well. Finally, costings. The College is very affordable without compromising on quality. This is highly appealing to self-funders, as well as very inclusive which allows people from a variety of backgrounds to access high quality, reputable teaching.

I’ve particularly enjoyed the workshop element of my course. While a lot of my work is based on self-directed study and reading, I find that the opportunity to discuss my studies with tutors and peers really enhances the experience. I also really appreciate that the workshops are recorded, so I can consolidate my learning, as well as providing me with a bit of insurance in case I can’t attend for any reason - I’ll still get the value of seeing what my peers and tutors discussed. 

I’ve found that the resources that the College of Legal Practice provide are very high quality, with flexibility in mind. I love the mini podcasts provided, as these allow me to learn and revise on the go, while the Graduate Foundation to Law handbook has absolutely become my go-to for any questions or concerns! 

The 1 to 1 support from my personal tutor has been fantastic. We meet regularly and discuss my progress as well as any concerns I have, and she has made it clear that I can contact her any time to have additional sessions and support. She shows a real interest in my plans for the future, my applications to law firms and what I get up to around my studies - which makes me feel really taken care of.

For me the GFL was the bridge I needed between my undergraduate degree and the SQE. While some people are happy to go straight into qualifying, I really needed that extra level of knowledge to feel confident that this career path was the one for me. The College has been affordable, supportive and robust in confirming to me that law is the path I want to take, and I’m so grateful that I’ve been able to do this study flexibly around my other commitments. I don’t think I’d have felt ready if it wasn’t for the College of Legal Practice and the GFL.

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